Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Visions of Venice

Decorative metalwork .. Peggy Guggenheim Museum gateway.


When in Venice .. If  you find yourself yearning to leave the crowds behind, continue strolling along the canal, away from the tourists that gather round St. Mark's ...
... and eventually you'll come to the expansive public parklands - the Giardini at the eastern edge of the city. This green space was quiet during my June sojourn, but I believe the Architecture Biennale is taking place there this Fall.

A favorite meal ~ Misto alla Griglia
Nothing is more exciting for a lover of fine food than happening upon an inviting cafe, especially when the skies have opened to rain down on me.  The small bar/restaurant where I enjoyed this meal was very much off-the-beaten path, a spot I wouldn't have found had I not been searching for a 'secret garden' my B&B host told me about.

Though the garden was locked when I finally located it, the cafe provided a cozy table where we sipped a lovely white wine from the Veneto region, accompanied by the freshly prepared meal of roasted vegetables ~ a highlight of my day.

After leaving Venice to tour Lago di Garda for a week or so, we had returned to Venice to stay in a hotel in the Castello sestiere. [Our initial stay had been at a B&B in the Cannaregio.]

A yearning to get to know a city more intimately always motivates my journeys. As in choosing to walk away from Venice's popular tourist attractions in an attempt to discover the city of the modern-day Venetian. 

Venice is not a city to dash into and out of, in my opinion. It is no longer the city I visited years ago, but it remains a unique destination. A glistening city at twilight; entrancing if you allow a languid approach to exploring its rare wonders. 

14 comments:

  1. Hello Alice:
    Over forty years, as we have made mention in our recent posts on Venice, we have seen enormous changes, the saddest of which is its overall depopulation which brings with it a general decline as a living, working city. That and the enormous influx of tourists, many of whom are there for one day only.

    But, as you say and show here, it is possible, without too much difficulty, to discover places off the beaten track which are completely deserted. Cannaregio remains one of our best loved areas of the whole of Venice.

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    1. Jane and Lance,
      Yes, especially now, it is up to the traveler to discover the true Venice, separate from the tourists.
      We who love the city will miss the energy of the Venice of the past.
      Thanks for adding to the dialogue on this most magical city.

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  2. Stunning & romatic!
    Note: I love the pic of the Wall in Chicago!

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  3. The simple meal looks so delicious! Very envious of your trips!

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    1. Hi there,
      The food in Venice & the Veneto was the best I've had in Italy!

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  4. Ah, Venice is definitely on my bucket list! Thanks for your perspective, Alice. Did you see my post about a potential Italy garden tour? http://bit.ly/NPwcUf It would be great to have you along, and also to get your opinions on the survey!

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    1. Thanks, PP,
      I'm often asked myself to put together garden tours.
      Good luck with your endeavor!!

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  5. I've been a typical tourist and visited Venice only for a day. There were a lot of people everywhere.

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    1. Perhaps next time you're in Italy there will be a way to spend more time getting to know the 'secret' side of Venice. It's worth the effort, I do believe;]

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  6. I specially like the second photo. I had forgotten that statue, which strikes me as really quite quaint. I think there is another one of a dog nearby which fascinated me. There is a super abstract spiky glass statue in Murano which I recommend you look at when you have the chance.

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    1. Jenny,
      Now you've stirred my curiosity about the other sculpture of a dog! Hope I return soon to see it;0

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